I hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving and enjoyed delicious food. Too much has been going on this fall for me, so we had a quiet one, just the two of us.
Roasted Butternut Squash, Carrot & Ginger Soup
This was delicious. Recipe can be found HERE - I used chicken stock. Recipe was cut in half and will have enough for one more meal.
Yacón, Roasted Beets, Toasted Pecans, Watercress, Sprouts & Lettuce
The salad dressing was simply Honey Wine Vinegar from Kumu Aina Farm in Puna, which I had infused with a vanilla bean.
Fall Harvest Cider Roasted Chicken with Walnuts, Goat Cheese & Grapes
The recipe can be found HERE - I made just one small change. I did not have walnuts but had pecans, so used them. I also added one large white onion, which I had quartered and then halved. I filled the cavity with the garlic, sliced apples, a large fresh sprig with several laurel leaves (bay) and a couple of fresh sprigs of sage. A keeper! The chicken came out moist and succulent. I served it with some of the cooked apples, onions and grapes on the side. The sliced breast with the goat cheese, pecans, sage and rosemary stuffing (between the skin and breast) is delicious!
Side dish with my version of Mac & Cheese - cooked, thin egg noodles to which I added half an 8 ounce block of cream cheese, some gratings of Gouda, some gratings of medium Cheddar and Sour Cream, topped with Panko and dotted with butter. Baked until nice crust formed on top and bubbly on the edges. Both of us had seconds!
Maple-Pumpkin Custards with Crystallized Ginger
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
4 large eggs
3/4 cup maple syrup, (see Ingredient note)
3/4 cup canned unseasoned pumpkin purée ***
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons whipped cream
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Put a kettle of water on to heat for the water bath. Line a roasting pan with a folded kitchen towel.
Heat milk over low heat in a small saucepan until barely steaming but not boiling.
Whisk eggs and syrup in a large bowl until smooth. Gently whisk in the warm milk (a little bit at a time so the eggs don't cook). Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; whisk until blended.
Divide the mixture among six 6-ounce (3/4-cup) custard cups. Skim foam from the surface.
Place custard cups in the prepared roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. Place the pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, until custards are just set but still quiver in the center when shaken, 45 to 50 minutes.
Transfer custards to a wire rack and let cool for 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until chilled.
To serve, top each custard with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of crystallized ginger.
TIPS & NOTES:
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Ingredient Note: If you can find it, use Grade B dark amber syrup to get the best maple flavor.
***I made my own pumpkin purée using a piece of roasted butternut. Much better than the canned variety, and not that much work.
I crumbled some Amaretti di Saronno Italian cookies and sprinkled a thin layer on the bottom of the ramekins before pouring the custard. Just before serving I sprinkled a bit more on top and then poured a small amount of Maple Syrup on top. Definitely a fall keeper!
YIELD: 6 servings
SOURCE: EatingWell: Fall 2002, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)
PS...I was thinking how good this would be with a thin crust in the bottom of the ramekin made from crush Amaretti di Saronno cookies...or even some sprinkled on top before serving.
